What is Troop Camping Know-How?

The New Troop's First Campout

This guided campout and training session for new Scout troops is designed
to give them a good beginning in their first camping experience. This program
can be done under the supervision of the campmaster corps.

An effective and satisfying outdoor program is vital to the success of any
Scout troop. Even more important is the promise made to each Scout that he is
joining a program of fun and outdoor adventure. He has visions of camping and
hiking that must become real.

This troop camping experience is designed to get the new troop off to a
running start in using the best methods of Scout camping. It is a guided
experience in weekend camping under the troop's own leadership, but under the
coaching and influence of several experienced adult leaders provided by the
council or district.

In councils using this plan, the results will be gratifying and easily
identifiable:

The troop will learn the best methods—the correct method,
the patrol method of Scout camping—without costly
experimentation.

The troop will use proper equipment.

The troop acquires the ability to program itself in meaningful
and enjoyable outdoor fun.

Troops will learn the relationships among outdoor skills,
advancement, and Scout ideals.

Troops will have an opportunity to learn to schedule a balanced
program of indoor preparation and outdoor activity.

Troop leaders will gain know-how and confidence.

Who is eligible to attend?

The question is sometimes raised as to the advisability of having
reorganized troops or old troops with new leaders and new boys attend this
training session. Only the local council can resolve this question. If such
troops can be accommodated, it would be good for them to attend. Almost any
troop could find some benefits in such a campout experience.

When should this training be done?

This can be done anytime, but it will be more effective if it is done after
the leaders have taken Basic Leader Training. The training would be more
effective if the weather is reasonably mild.

How to Get Started

Study the plan as suggested in this outline. (This applies
to the Scout executive and camping director or staff person
related to the project.)

Discuss the plan in an executive staff meeting.

Present the plan for consideration to the council camping
and activities committees.

After board approval, leadership is recruited for the project
and dates are set for courses.

Sample Letter of Invitation to Troop Camping Know-How

After the campout dates are set, an invitation is sent to the eligible
troop. This should be sent four to six weeks before the proposed campout.
The following invitation is an example:

(Date)

Dear Scoutmaster:

Welcome to the great outdoors of Scouting! To help you and your
Scouts on your first camping trip, the ____________________ Council has
set aside a camping area known as ____________________ Camp, located at
______________________________.

On behalf of the ____________________ Council, I wish to invite you
and your Scouts to attend a campout from 10 A.M. Saturday to 3 P.M. Sunday
at Camp ____________________. (Or use alternate days, 5 P.M. Friday to 5 P.M.
Saturday.)

This preparation program is designed to give new Scouts and their
leaders an overnight experience in Scout camping. A team of experienced
Scouters will be directing the camp.

There will be no camp fee for the use of these facilities on this
weekend. The only charge will be for food—the standard menu, which
you will purchase at home and bring with you for the outing. The cost is
approximately $5 per person. The menu and food list will be sent to you
when you file your application for the campout.

I do hope you will take advantage of this opportunity, designed
especially for your troop. To ensure a place for your troop, the attached
application should be filled out immediately. Upon receipt of your
reservation, your camping permit with complete instructions will be
sent to you.

Call a meeting of your troop committees and talk things over.
Adventure awaits you and your Scouts in this program of camping.

Sincerely yours,

Chairman

Sample Camp Reservation

(Date)

To: ____________________ Council

From: Troop Number ____ District ____________________

We accept your invitation to attend the Fast Start on (dates for
your troop) ____________________.

We will have approximately _____ Scouts and _____ leaders present.
We will expect to arrive at camp at _____ (A.M./P.M.). If for any reason
we change the above plans, we will notify you.

Sincerely,

______________________________

______________________________

Scoutmaster (Please print.)

Telephone

Sample Letter of Instruction to the Troop

When the troop has specified the date for the campout, the council sends
further information, perhaps in the following manner:

(Date)

Dear Scoutmaster:

We are happy to learn that you have accepted our invitation to attend
a campout at ____________________ Camp. We are all looking forward to having
you enjoy the fine facilities and program that have been arranged for you and
your Scouts.

Your regular camping permit is enclosed for ____________________. The
adviser for this campout will be ____________________,
telephone __________.

Enclosed are directions for getting to the camp, an outline of the
weekend program, and a copy of the food order. Follow the menu noted on the
order form, as it is a valuable part of the program. Each of your Scouts
should be asked to bring a sandwich for Saturday noon.

Each Scout and leader carries his own personal gear, along with his
share of patrol or troop equipment and food.

Clothing

Uniform (if possible)

Comfortable shoes

Sweater or jacket

Raincoat or poncho

Extra pair of socks

Handkerchief

Sweatshirt

Equipment

Knife

Spoon

Bowl/plate

Fork

Cup

Canteen

Pocketknife

Matches

Individual toilet paper roll in plastic bag

Compass

Sleeping bag/warm blankets

Ground cloth

Miscellaneous

Tennis shoes

Washcloth

Towel

Soap in waterproof container

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Washbasin

First-aid kit

Optional Items

Watch

Camera and film

Musical instrument

Boy Scout Handbook

Fieldbook

As soon as the troop arrives at camp, you should check in with
____________________. You will be directed to the camping area where
you will meet with the other leaders who will help you have a
fun-filled camping experience.

Enclosures: Overnight camp permit, program outline, menu and
food order, directions to camp, equipment available for loan from
camp

Equipment a Patrol Should Be Issued

(The camp will have available for checkout.)

Patrol flag on stave

12-by-16-foot dining fly, or a trail tarp

Poles, tent pegs, and guy lines

Cooking Equipment

Large spoon

Large fork

Spatula

Can opener

Potato peeler

Carving knife

Paring knife

Hot tongs

Sugar container

Salt/pepper containers

Camp Tools

3/4 ax [[fraction]]

Bow saw

Camp shovel

8-inch mill file

Sharpening stone

Health and Safety

Two 4-by-4-inch plastic sheets

First-aid kit

Toilet paper in plastic bag

Screw-top water container

Rubber scraper

Liquid soap

Roll of paper towels

Two 14-quart galvanized buckets

Box of trash bags

Roll of heavy-duty aluminum foil

Tentage

Two-person tents

Optional Equipment

Gloves

Dutch oven

Table cover

Mixing bowls

Patrol Duty Roster

Buddy System
(Divide the responsibility and share the load.)
Weekend and overnight camps—change tasks after each meal, if desired.
Long-term and summer camp—change tasks after noon meal cleanup.
Adjust assignments to fit the number of Scouts in the patrol.
Use the additional patrol members where needed.

NAMES

DAYS OR MEALS

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

____________________

Wood and water

Cleanup

Cooks

Wood and water

Cleanup

Cooks

____________________

Cooks

Wood and water

Cleanup

Cooks

Wood and water

Cleanup

____________________

Cleanup

Cooks

Wood and water

Cleanup

Cooks

Wood and water

Other

____________________

____________________

____________________

Wood and water

Bring in water and wood or charcoal; start fires for cooks in
plenty of time. Keep woods tools sharpened and in good
condition.

Cooks

Pick up and cook food, following cooking instructions carefully,
and serve meals on time. Supervise cleanup.

Cleanup

Prepare wash and rinse water so patrol members can wash their
individual dishes. Clean up patrol area and patrol dishes
under the supervision of the cooks.

Note: If the troop is already working on new-Scout activities,
these assignments can be used toward Tenderfoot through First Class
requirements.

A Guide for Briefing Scoutmasters

If two to four troops will be coming at one time, it would be helpful if
their leaders could meet for a short briefing in town before the campout.
Otherwise, the following material should be discussed with each Scoutmaster
personally:

How many Scouts and leaders are attending?

What equipment will patrols have?

What equipment will patrols need?

What is the Scoutmaster's role as trainer?

What time will they arrive? Leave?

Will the campout be held rain or shine?

Scoutmasters should encourage Scouts to pack their packs
as demonstrated in the Boy Scout Handbook.

Use the Fast Start instruction sheet.

Bring the food as suggested in the instructions.

Observe religious services.

Be sure to convey to the leaders that they, not you, are the leaders of
their troops. Your job as instructor will be to illustrate and explain, but
not take over and lead the troops. (This is similar to the role of troop
guide with the new-Scout patrol.)

This is a good time to give a simple packing demonstration so that the
new leaders can teach this important phase of camping to the Scouts.

Guidance should also be given as to the type and size of equipment to
buy if the troop intends to secure camping equipment before the campout.
Stress the following points:

Official BSA equipment is youth-sized and youth-priced
and will last.

Always get two-person tents.

Each patrol should have a cooking tarp and cook kit.

Have one saw per patrol.

The official BSA fiber-filled sleeping bag is good even
in freezing weather. If colder weather is expected, an
extra blanket is necessary.

Commissary and Cooking Instructions

Patrols should be encouraged to purchase and pack their own food. They
will cook as patrols, rotating their duties. Note that the menu and food
order is for an eight-person patrol. If only four people attend, cut the
quantity in half. If six people attend, take two-thirds of these quantities.
If five people attend, better buy for six; for seven people, better buy for
eight. Troop leaders may be guests of patrols or may cook and eat separately.
Each patrol should have three stacked pots of various sized and a frying
pan.

Cooking and Preparing Meals

Saturday Lunch

The first meal in almost any campout could be a sandwich and soup. This
will save time in setting up camp quickly. The staff may supply the soup
for the entire group, as well as cookies and a hot or cold drink. This can
be donated by the council, or each troop could be charged a nominal fee to
cover the actual cost. If patrols are to furnish their own soup or cocoa,
then a large pot of water should be set on a fire as soon as possible.
Do this first.

Saturday Supper

At 5 P.M., each patrol should send its cook and assistant to the cooking
area for briefing on the cooking procedures by the program staff, then return
to the patrol site for food preparation.

Yukon Pete Goulash. Bring a gallon of water to a rolling boil.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 pound of elbow macaroni. Stir. Do not
let the macaroni stick to the bottom or to itself. In another pot or
large frying pain, place 1/4 pound of bacon, chopped in small pieces.
Fry it brown. Add a cup of chopped onions. Brown the onions. Then
sprinkle in 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef in small pieces. Let it fry
until brown. Stir often. When brown, add two cans of tomato soup (no
water). Stir this until it is well-heated. When macaroni is tender
to cut, pour off the water. After the macaroni is drained, pour it
into the meat sauce and stir until heated through. Add salt and
pepper and serve.

Lettuce Salad. To make the salad, slice the lettuce into a pan, then
cut up the pickles and mix with lettuce. Pour small amount of pickle
juice over salad and mix.

Peaches. Serve dessert in each person's cup after he has finished
his milk.

Sunday Breakfast

This is a buddy cookout. Two people pair up and cook eggs and bacon in a
frying pan or on a hobo stove—a No. 10 metal can with vents in bottom
and top. Put on a large pot of water so that everyone can use it for making
individual cocoa. Oranges are halved or quartered.

Sunday Lunch

Each person in the patrol can cook his individual kabob dinner on a wire
skewer or stick. Each patrol should have a hot bed of coals before starting.
Cut steak or other meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Peel potato and onion, wash,
and slice them into 1/4-inch slices and place alternately on the skewer with
the meat. Broil over coals until potato is cooked, then eat it from the stick
when cooled.

Cleanup

Follow camp procedures for cleanup of refuse. All garbage should be disposed
of properly. Follow the principles of Leave No Trace.

Patrol Menu and Food Order

SATURDAYSUNDAY

Troop number _____

Patrol name ____________________

(Quantities should be adjusted according to standard size of patrols, or eight people.)

Meal

Menu

Food Items

Quantity

Fill in Qty,

Cost

Lunch

Hot soup (supplied by camp)

Sandwiches (each Scout brings his)

Hot or cold drink (supplied by camp)

Cookies (supplied by camp)

Dinner

Yukon Pete Goulash

Macaroni

1 lb.

__________

__________

Pickles

1 small jar

__________

__________

Onions

3 (1/3 lb.)

__________

__________

Sliced pickles

Ground beef

1 1/2 lb.

__________

__________

Lettuce salad

Tomato soup

2 cans

__________

__________

Bread and butter

Bacon

1/4 lb.

__________

__________

Cookies

Lettuce

1 head

__________

__________

Peaches

Bread

1 loaf

__________

__________

Milk

Butter

1/4 lb.

__________

__________

Salt and pepper

__________

__________

Cookies

2 lb.

__________

__________

Milk

1 gal.

__________

__________

Peaches (sliced)

2 no. 2 cans

__________

__________

Breakfast

Hobo breakfast

Oranges

Oranges

8

__________

__________

Cereal

Dry cereal

8 ind. boxes

__________

__________

Bacon

Bacon

1 lb.

__________

__________

Eggs

Eggs

2 each

__________

__________

Bread

Bread

1 loaf

__________

__________

Jam

Jam

1-lb. jar

__________

__________

Hot cocoa

Hot cocoa mix

8 ind. pkgs.

__________

__________

Milk

1 gal.

__________

__________

Sugar

1 lb.

__________

__________

Lunch

Trail Special

Kabobs

Steak for kabob

2 lb.

__________

__________

Potatoes

Potatoes

8 @ 3 lb.

__________

__________

Onions

Onions

3 medium

__________

__________

Jam

Jam

1-lb. jar

__________

__________

Bread

Bread

1 loaf

__________

__________

Milk

Milk

1 gal.

__________

__________

Number of people ____

Average Costs

$_________

Total Cost

$_________

__________________ COUNCIL

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Camping Fast Start

With this Fast Start program, each new Boy Scout troop is carefully
introduced to a weekend of camping and fun. The experience is planned
to expose the new troop to certain Scout camping requirements and
methods.

The troop is the guest of the council. After this guided camping
experience, the troop is eligible to use any and all council camps.

Specific time has been omitted from a number of program items to allow
flexible scheduling and sequence according to the desires of the leaders
and the season of the year.

Program

Note: The staff will act as instructors (just as the troop guide
does in the troop) in this entire program, using the troop's own leaders
whenever possible and constantly building up these leaders whenever
possible.

Show tents already up; also the use of the dining fly. Show methods of making a good ground bed. Stress the patrol camp. Scouts erect shelter.

BSHB

3:00 P.M.

Scout safety precautions in the woods; knowing poisonous plants and avoiding accidents is the best first aid. Demonstrate first aid for insect bites, blisters, cuts, scalds. Stress the buddy system.

BSHB

4:00 P.M.

Hiking and footgear: shoes, socks. The hiking methods, speed, safety, cross-country safety on highways, what to do when lost.

BSHB

4:30 P.M.

Fire building: Locate and prepare a fire site. Lay and light a cooking fire. Do cooking demonstration involving cooking with pots and pans, Dutch ovens, aluminum foil, and utensils. Show hobo stove and demonstrate as far as possible exactly how a patrol gets a meal ready and cleans up.

BSHB

Cleanup: Dispose of garbage in proper manner, put out fire, clean up site.

At the end of camp, check the troops out. With the Scoutmasters,
review the condition of the area, equipment, fire sites, and firewood
supply. Store equipment in boxes and return. Set a pattern on cleanup,
neatness, and care of equipment.

Clean up camp leader area, put out all fires, and return borrowed
equipment.

Check out; complete camp leader's report. Return permit and keys.

Pass along any suggestions or comments that will be helpful in
future management of this training.

Good camping and good Scouting!

Enclosures

Camp Leaders

Letter to Scoutmasters

Menu and food order

Weekend program

Equipment lists

Assistants

Weekend program

Fast Start Troop Camp Report

Troop __________ Town ____________________ District ____________________

Camp Leader's Report

Check in on __________, 20___ Number of Scouts __________
Check out on __________, 20___ Number of adults __________

General observations of this troop _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Signed ___________________________

Notice to Instructors

A Recap

Before the camping session ends, be sure you have left these impressions
indelibly imprinted on the adult leaders, patrols, and Scouts who have
participated.

Scouting is fun.

Camping is the heart and core of Scouting. Be sure that leaders
understand the purpose and method of Scout camping.

Scout camping means using self-reliance—doing for yourself
and others. Camping is the vehicle used by adults to expose Scouts
to situations that will help build character, develop citizenship
traits, and produce fitness.

Camping must be done in a neat, clean manner, leaving no trace.

There are rules in camping.

Camping in a patrol is teamwork, fun, and an experience in
citizenship.

Scout advancement comes automatically with good hiking and camping.

Good equipment and trained leaders make camping more fun.

The proper use of nature and the outdoors will preserve it for you
and for everyone else in the future.

Go camping at least once a month.

Sign up for summer camp soon.

Equipment for Use in Staff Demonstrations

These and other training items, as needed, should be kept in a special box,
kit, or pack, and used only for this training.